Aniya never woke.
At 09:13 a.m. on a rain‑washed July 12, her heart stopped.
Antonio was holding her hand.
The machines kept screaming long after she was gone.
He didn't cry right away.
He just pressed her palm to his chest, whispered something only she would recognize—
a vow about river water and second chances—
then let the doctor call it.
---
Leonardo died four hours later.
Internal bleeding. Organ failure.
He signed his final order with hands shaking from morphine:
**Transfer all contested Maroni routes to the Aniya Foundation.**
**Establish permanent protection for the clinic and its staff.**
**Hold the ceasefire, no matter who bleeds next.**
His consigliere stood over the bed, silent, as the king who had burned too much simply stopped fighting.
---
The funeral was sm
